Thursday 27 June 1667

Wakened this morning, about three o’clock, by Mr. Griffin with a letter from Sir W. Coventry to W. Pen, which W. Pen sent me to see, that the Dutch are come up to the Nore again, and he knows not whether further or no, and would have, therefore, several things done: ships sunk, and I know not what — which Sir W. Pen (who it seems is very ill this night, or would be thought so) hath directed Griffin to carry to the Trinity House; so he went away with the letter, and I tried and with much ado did get a little sleep more, and so up about six o’clock, full of thought what to do with the little money I have left and my plate, wishing with all my heart that that was all secured. So to the office, where much business all the morning, and the more by my brethren being all out of the way; Sir W. Pen this night taken so ill cannot stir; [Sir] W. Batten ill at Walthamstow; Sir J. Minnes the like at Chatham, and my Lord Bruncker there also upon business. Horrible trouble with the backwardness of the merchants to let us have their ships, and seamen’s running away, and not to be got or kept without money. It is worth turning to our letters this day to Sir W. Coventry about these matters. At noon to dinner, having a haunch of venison boiled; and all my clerks at dinner with me; and mightily taken with Mr. Gibson’s discourse of the faults of this war in its management compared [with] that in the last war, which I will get him to put into writing. Thence, after dinner, to the office again, and there I saw the proclamations come out this day for the Parliament to meet the 25th of next month; for which God be praised! and another to invite seamen to bring in their complaints, of their being ill-used in the getting their tickets and money, there being a Committee of the Council appointed to receive their complaints. This noon W. Hewer and T. Hater both tell me that it is all over the town, and Mr. Pierce tells me also, this afternoon coming to me, that for certain Sir G. Carteret hath parted with his Treasurer’s place, and that my Lord Anglesey is in it upon agreement and change of places, though the latter part I do not think. This Povy told me yesterday, and I think it is a wise act of [Sir] G. Carteret. Pierce tells me that he hears for certain fresh at Court, that France and we shall agree; and more, that yesterday was damned at the Council, the Canary Company; and also that my Lord Mordaunt hath laid down his Commission, both good things to please the Parliament, which I hope will do good. Pierce tells me that all the town do cry out of our office, for a pack of fools and knaves; but says that everybody speaks either well, or at least the best of me, which is my great comfort, and think I do deserve it, and shall shew I have; but yet do think, and he also, that the Parliament will send us all going; and I shall be well contented with it, God knows! But he tells me how Matt. Wren should say that he was told that I should say that W. Coventry was guilty of the miscarriage at Chatham, though I myself, as he confesses, did tell him otherwise, and that it was wholly Pett’s fault. This do trouble me, not only as untrue, but as a design in some [one] or other to do me hurt; for, as the thing is false, so it never entered into my mouth or thought, nor ever shall. He says that he hath rectified Wren in his belief of this, and so all is well. He gone, I to business till the evening, and then by chance home, and find the fellow that come up with my wife, Coleman, last from Brampton, a silly rogue, but one that would seem a gentleman; but I did not stay with him. So to the office, where late, busy, and then to walk a little in the garden, and so home to supper and to bed. News this tide, that about 80 sail of the Dutch, great and small were seen coming up the river this morning; and this tide some of them to the upper end of the Hope.

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Annotations

The Royal Society today at Arundel House — from the Hooke Folio Online

Iune 27: 1667. mr. Hooke made some expts. to dulcify vinegar by infusing the filings of Lead eggshells brasse steeldust oystershells in seuerall violls with vinegar All which did much depriue the vinegar of its acidity and Reduced it to some kind of vinosity. orderd that these Expt. be further prosecuted against next day.

(Bp. Exeter tht tin mines Run east and west) Mr Willouby that coles run also in the same manner) Dr. merret confirmd it but Lead ore north & south. ) Willougby that mines Rise west w: & deepen eastward.) mr Hooke Reported that he had obserued Clifs of stone for neer 4 miles together that their naturall position was horizontall though in some places he found them Ly much sloping and in others perpendicular which he beleiues might fall into those odd positions by some great earthquakes and he is of opinion that the great hills & mountains haue been raised by Earthquakes. He mentiond a clif in the Isle of wight whose bottom is washt by the sea wherein at a pretty depth below the top and at many fathoms aboue the surface of the sea he found shells of seuerall sorts which he thinks may possibly haue been placed there by earthquakes remouing the superficiall parts of the earth Rasing the bottom of the sea and sinking the surface of the Land. (Bp. of Exeter that those shells might be carryed thither by subterraneous Canalls. vpon this Discourse of earthquakes some of the Company were of opinion that the great Lakes might be made thereby. mr Hooke related out of Varsenius his Geography, that in china a Lake of 30 Leagues ouer was made by an earth quake the earth then sinking and in another place for the space of 40 Leagues the earth did shake all at the same time (A hill in Switzerland Remoued by an earthquake wth. the vines and trees stilll on it. Dr. wren. tht a Lake in Italy of salt water neer 150 fathoms deep. svpposed soe from the salt dissolued of the earth. B.P. of exeter that the sea was salt for the same reason).

mr Hooke Reported that he had taken a whelp out of the vterus, and dissected it in the euening, and the heart did beat the next morning. when he came to Look on it againe.

Dr. wren obserued that flyes will Run Away after their heads are off. if you cutt off the tayle only they will Liue a day. but if stabbd in the body they quickly Die all the muscles lying about the brest as also in crabs &c. he mentiond also tht the blood of insects is white and what appears Red is Excrements. some insects killd by worms, all insects dead breed mites. - -

mr. Hooke is of opinion that there is a nitrous quality in the air, which makes the refreshment necessary to life which when spent & intangled the air becomes vnfitt. He Related the account of the expt. formerly made wth. the fire box & bellows. that after a whole dayes keeping fire would not Burne in that air till the grosser parts thereof were precipitated. - -

It was proposd by mr Hooke to haue a rare fying engine. made of wood big enough for a man to sit in. approued by mr. Boyle mr Hooke thought such a one might be made for 5ll. he was desired to haue it made as soon as maybe.

mr. Hooke propounded a contriuance he had to make a vessell to swim in vnder water of any Dimension wherein he might passe as fast as in a wherry vpon the thames and at any depth he pleased wth safety. he was orderd to compute the charge of such an engine and Report it to the society at their next meeting.

"Wakened this morning, about three o’clock, by Mr. Griffin with a letter from Sir W. Coventry to W. Pen, which W. Pen sent me to see, that the Dutch are come up to the Nore again, and he knows not whether further or no, and would have, therefore, several things done: ships sunk, and I know not what — which Sir W. Pen (who it seems is very ill this night, or would be thought so) hath directed Griffin to carry to the Trinity House; so he went away with the letter, and I tried and with much ado did get a little sleep more, and so up about six o’clock, full of thought what to do with the little money I have left and my plate, wishing with all my heart that that was all secured."

The strain is being to tell...Understandable...Especially with that false rumor about his blaming Coventry for Chatham reaching him later.

Amusing that he's so frazzled that the appearance of Coleman at his home is barely glanced at.

Thanks again to Terry for providing us the continuing delight of the Hooke Folio. One can only marvel at the prescient insights by Hooke in geology and atmospheric chemistry. I'm curious why dulcification of vinegar seemed to be a matter of such importance to them. And I hadn't realized that asbestos was known at that time. Turns out, according to Wikipedia, that it was known to the ancient Greeks. A real treasure trove of interesting material.

"I’m curious why dulcification of vinegar seemed to be a matter of such importance to them."

They were still practicing alchemy rather than chemistry at this time. One can only guess what they were trying to achieve.

In 1669, in Hamgurg, Hennig Brand was trying to obtain gold from (vast quantities of smelly) urine but obtained a white residue that glowed in the dark. Hence he discovered white phosporus. A little later in 1680, Robert Boyle (whose most excellent book on hydrstatics Sam has been reading) combined white phosphorus, sulphur and wooden splints to make the forerunner of modern matches.

Sir W. Pen (who it seems is very ill this night, or would be thought so)

"...Old Northumberland lies Crafty sick..." Henry IV, part II.

Tis interesting that Penn, Batten, and it seems, if I read Sam right, Minnes as well, are all sick...And far from London on such a day. Though of course at critically important duty posts...Far from the maddening crowd.

"Not to worry, just tell them in London...At the Commons in particular, that as always, young Pepys is in charge. Of everything. Stress on...As always...Everything."

"Aye, Admiral Sir Will..."

***"Remember. Pepys is the man to consult...Make sure you make that clear to everyone in London. He's the life of the office as Coventry will confirm, I'm sure."

"Certainly, Sir William."

***"Apothecary, ho! Oh, just send all that to Pepys. I've no idea of how anything works in that dratted office anyhow. He runs the place. Apothecary!"

"Yes, Sir John."

***

"You may tell the Commons that I did have my reservations about Mr. Pepys' dictatorial and premptory handling of poor Mr. Carcasse's matter. But...All is done on his decision now and as all saw during the hearings, he rules over us all, titled or no, regardless of experience in naval affairs. My best to London, we shall hold out here as best we may."

"Horrible trouble with the backwardness of the merchants to let us have their ships, and seamen’s running away, and not to be got or kept without money."

To think that people won't hand over their livelihood or risk their lives when we promise (pinky swear!) to pay them just as soon as we win this war, which admittedly isn't going so well at the moment but just you wait and things will turn around, you'll see, sure of it, don't you worry...

"To think that people won’t hand over their livelihood or risk their lives when we promise (pinky swear!) to pay them just as soon as we win this war, which admittedly isn’t going so well at the moment but just you wait and things will turn around, you’ll see, sure of it, don’t you worry…"

The interesting thing about Sam is that, while as a government official he has to subscribe to this view, he also sees how ridiculous and unfair it is, and broods about the disaster likely to ensue. A complicated man.

"...Horrible trouble with the backwardness of the merchants to let us have their ships, ..."

We have family letters from the time of the Napoleonic wars, showing that the government requisitioned the family shipping business's ships and lost the lot. And then in WWII, the same thing happened. I don't blame the merchants for trying to hang onto their assets!

Thank you also from me to TF for the Hooke Folio Online - fascinating. If people are interested in the speculations about the history of the earth, they might like this book:The Seashell on the Mountaintop: A Story of Science Sainthood and the Humble Genius Who Discovered a New History of the Earth by Alan Cutler.